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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you so much to everyone who has left reviews. This story is getting so much more response than on AFF and it really gets muse a kicking.

I know alot of you are eager to find out what Buffy's letter to Willow and Xander said, but I just couldn't get that chapter out tonight. I should have it up by midweek if all goes well.

Thanks again!!!
Spike groaned loudly as he tried, unsuccessfully, to roll over on the bed. Giving up, he laid his head back down on the pillow and wondered how he had managed to get home. Last thing he remembered was slumping into the booth that his friends were still occupying, then nothing…dark vast nothingness.

Lifting the covers, he found that someone had been nice enough to take of his shirt and boots. Thankfully, they had left on his pants and spared him the embarrassment of waking up stark naked. Not to mention the shock the other party would have received when they found out he was not wearing any underwear.

Spike tossed the covers down around his waist and took notice of the damage that Buffy had inflicted on him during their battle. He grimaced as he ran his hand over the garish purple bruises that were splashed across his ribs and stomach. There was a sharp, stinging pain when he took a breath and chalked it up to a couple of broken ribs. His knuckles were busted and covered with gauze, which had already begun to turn pink from the blood seeping from the wounds. There were various scratch marks and bruises speckled across both arms and his lip felt unusually puffy, possibly from a busted lip. Sighing, he tried again to rise up from the bed, but once again, was unsuccessful. Defeated, Spike prepared himself for a world of pain and screamed for someone to come and help him.

A few moments later his dad appeared in the doorway, a look of concern on his face. He appeared tired, beaten and Spike realized that his father must have been awake most of the night with worry.

“Would you mind helping a fella get out of bed, Da?” Spike said lightly, trying to get his mouth to form a smile but failing miserably thanks to the split across his bottom lip.

“I think it would be better if you stayed right where you are.” Rupert informed him with a stern look. Spike cringed under his father’s watchful glare and pulled the covers back up. Rupert nodded with satisfaction as he perched at the end of the bed. “So, would you like to tell me just how it is that you came to be in this position?”

“Grr…as much as I hate to tell anyone about last night, the fact that it was a tiny girl that put me in this rather unpleasant situation makes everything seem worse.”

“Tiny girl you say?”

“Buffy. Ok? It was Buffy that did this to me!” Spike covered his face in embarrassment, hating to admit that it was a girl that put him in his current position; even if she was a Master Vampire. One look at his father, who was currently polishing his glasses, and Spike knew he had better fill him in on the entire story. “When I found out that she was responsible for that bloke’s death right under my bleeding nose, I set out to make her pay. Tracked her down at the Bronze and ended up having a full fledge brawl in the alley. It was a rather even fight for all of about ten minutes, still have this nagging thought that she was toying with me.”

“What led you to believe she was ‘toying’ with you?” His father inquired, glasses back in place.

“I don’t rightly know… it was just a feeling. I mean, at one point it actually appeared like I was going to win and she would be just another pile of dust. Then everything seemed to change, she basically got up and smirked at me. Next thing I know, she has me pinned underneath her and she was heading in for the kill.”

“You mean to tell me that a vampire, a rather powerful one at that was in a position to kill you or whatever she had planned and you are still around to tell the tale?” Rupert was shocked. From the information that Mr. Wyndham-Price had told him about Buffy, he never would have imagined that a vampire with a history as bloody as hers would have left a Slayer alive if given the chance to kill them.

“Exactly, see my point now? I am quite sure that I inflicted a bit of pain in her direction as well; didn’t stand around and let some girl punch on me like some soddin’ nancy boy. But, in the end, she walked away like nothing was wrong.” Spike stopped for a minute, reflecting over the moment that Buffy left. ‘You know, she did say something before she left…”

“Really…and what might that be?” His father inquired.

“You’re supposed to fight until the death, Slayer.” Spike said shamefully, knowing full well that his father and his watcher would realize that he had given up. “Then, while she was prancing away she told me to be ready to give her a real challenge next time.”

“Well, William…” Rupert started, ignoring his son’s previous requests not to use his given name. “I have to agree that her behavior was rather odd, but you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Next time we will make sure you are fully prepared. I truly do not believe that she will just walk away from your next encounter.” He paused for a moment to allow the severity of his words to sink in his son’s brain. “Now, you need to get some rest and I need to call your Watcher to let him know that you are finally awake.”



The room was engulfed in darkness by the time Spike woke up from his nap. He reached over and flipped on the bedside lamp. This time, he was determined to get out of the bed and at least take a shower; possibly take a quick trip to the kitchen and scrounge up something to eat. One thing was for sure, he was going to go absolutely mental if he had to lie around in bed any longer.

After a long, but painful, scalding hot shower Spike managed to pull on a pair of black jogging pants and an old Ramones T-shirt before slowly making his way down the stairs. Turning the corner, he came face to face with his obviously unpleased father; Spike skidded to a halt before running him over.

“What are you going out of bed?!” Rupert demanded. While he was very pleased that William was at least well enough to be up and walking around, having his son’s friends carry him through the door with almost every inch of his body beaten and bloody had not been a welcomed sight; which made him weary to let William get out of bed, much less be ambulatory. “I precisely remember giving you exact instructions to stay in bed.”

Spike was at a loss for words. He stared at his father with a blank expression, “I…uh…was hungry?” Thankfully his father’s attention was averted by the sound of the doorbell. Spike gingerly eased around his father and opened the door, surprised to find Angel on the other side.

“Hey man! How ya feeling?” Angel said loudly as he entered the house.

“I was doin’ a whole lot better before I saw that shirt.” Spike replied sarcastically as he wrinkled his face in disgust. “Bloody things an eyesore, mate.”

“Yup, you’re feeling better. I am going to forgive your remark about my shirt since that chick obviously knocked the sense right out of your head.” Angel smirked, running his hands over the front of the garish blue and lime green Hawaiian print shirt. “This is totally in style! I saw it in a magazine.”

“Oh yeah, is that right? What was it called…’How Not to Impress a Woman’?” Spike remarked with a good natured laugh. “I’m quite sure that flowery-girly shirts are all the rage for men!”

“Hardy-har-har! And here I was coming over to see how my best buddy was doin’!” Angel shut the door and headed for the kitchen to find something to eat. “Hmph…just for being rude, I shouldn’t warn you that your Watcher was right behind me.”

Spike groaned as he watched his best friend disappear down the hallway and turned back to the door, managing to open it before Wesley had even knocked. The expression on his Watcher’s face was less appealing than the one his father had been wearing earlier. Gesturing with his arm for the tweed covered man to come inside, Spike mentally prepared himself for the impending inquisition.

“It’s going to be a long night!” He muttered under his breath, shutting the door and heading into the kitchen with everyone else.

**A/N** Just wanted to add a final thank you to MidnightGirl for the great idea to put Angel in a Hawaiian shirt since he is the "Xander"-like character!





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